Officer Arkell wore many hats, had many friends

Wednesday

May 14, 2014 at 3:15 AMMay 14, 2014 at 3:34 PM

BRENTWOOD — It's not every day someone feels comfortable sitting down to eat and have a casual chat with a police officer. But that's exactly the type of guy fallen officer Stephen Arkell was being remembered as Tuesday morning at the Brentwood Country Store while customers bustled in and out of the rustic space with a squeaky screen-door entrance.

By ANDREA BULFINCHabulfinch@fosters.com

BRENTWOOD — It's not every day someone feels comfortable sitting down to eat and have a casual chat with a police officer. But that's exactly the type of guy fallen officer Stephen Arkell was being remembered as Tuesday morning at the Brentwood Country Store while customers bustled in and out of the rustic space with a squeaky screen-door entrance.

“It wasn't uncommon to see him sitting over there eating a sandwich,” store owner Bill Dow store owner.

Arkell responded to a few incidents at the store, Dow said. But then, the officer went above and beyond — returning over the following days to the store to make sure everyone there was doing all right.

“He'd just come in and say, 'Hey is everyone OK?' Not many officers do that,” Dow said.

Nikita Janes, 46, witnessed Arkell in the store a few times while she was eating lunch there with her son, Dylan Janes, 10.

“We stop here every now and then. I drive a truck and don't see him often. My son was the one who noticed him first last year, with a badge,” she said of Arkell. “He's wanted to be a police officer for the last couple years since.”

Janes and her son have been mostly stopping in on “random” weekends, or “whenever time allows.” It's a stop that's become part of their “scrapbook of memories” which now includes Arkell just being himself: an officer, a guy, a resident, “just hanging out in town.”

“Yeah, I'd recognize him,” she said, saddened to learn the sudden news of his line-of-duty-death.

A part-time officer with the Brentwood Police Department for the last 15 years, Arkell worked one day per week. On Monday afternoon, he responded to his final call in the community where he longed to just “give back.”

Arkell, 48, was the first officer to go into the 46 Mill Pond Road residence where a domestic disturbance had been reported by neighbors. A resident of that home, 47-year-old, Michael Nolan, opened fire shortly after Arkell entered.

According to information shared by Attorney General Joseph Foster during a news conference Monday night, a second officer, Derek Franek, of Fremont, attempted to enter the home, but Michael Nolan immediately opened fire and Franek was driven out.

Foster said Michael Nolan is presumed dead and likely the second body recovered from the home.

Earlier reports stated that Arkell had been medflighted. It was later learned, however, that those reports were “untrue.”

Ongoing emergency communications early Monday evening indicated Arkell did not answer radio calls following the gunshots heard.

He never made it out of the house before what would become a four-alarm fire erupted, and an explosion blew off and demolished the rooftop of the duplex.

Dow and his wife, Lisa, have seen most of the community come walking through the doors of their store during the last eight years, grabbing a meal or beverage or snack.

Arkell, also the department's Animal Control Officer, would frequently stop in to buy a can of dog or cat food for a stray he'd picked up.

“He wouldn't let us put it on credit, either. He always wanted to pay for it,” Dow said.

Arkell was a father of two daughters and is remembered as being a dedicated family man, coaching on their Exeter High School lacrosse teams. He was also an Army veteran who served in Desert Storm. When he returned home, he'd wanted to serve his community and did so by joining the Police Department.